Campaigners stepped up their calls for urgent improvements at a blackspot following another accident today.

The move came after a van driver lost control on the A27 at Lancing and skidded over a footpath before smashing into a garden wall.

The accident happened just after 7am when the van, which was heading west, crossed the central reservation into the path of oncoming traffic. It hit the pavement, skidded on a stretch of grass and hit the wall.

Early rush-hour traffic heading towards Brighton was delayed for more than an hour and tailbacks stretched for nearly a mile while the road was cleared. The accident happened close to Boundstone College, which has been the scene of several deaths and accidents in the last ten years.

Campaigners have been pleading for years for essential speed restrictions and safety improvements. Adur councillor Sally Willson, who is among those looking for improvements, said: "One option to consider for the future is having an A27 bypass for that area, but there are obviously many environmental factors to consider and it would mean massive public consultation.

"But in the short-term. safety measures have to be installed now. How many times are we going to have accidents and near misses like this before something is finally done about it?

"We need to have a footbridge spanning that stretch of road and extra efforts must be made to slow traffic down through filtering and signage."

The Highways Agency is currently considering a series of suggestions on slowing

traffic down and improving the safety of the A27 between Worthing and Lancing.

It has already installed a £35,000 puffin crossing outside the college and plans a series of low cost safety measures, but West Worthing MP Peter

Bottomley has accused the Government of dragging its feet on the issue and taking too long to make a decision.

There is on average about one death a year outside Boundstone College. Recent victims include Lyn Gutierrez, 19, who was killed when she was hit by a motorbike in 1993. And 13-year-old Scott Purdie died when his bike was in collision with a van in 1997.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: "We have concerns about the number of accidents on the road and we are looking at a range of measures to try and alleviate the problem."

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